Orchard-heater.



J. L. HAMILTON.

ORCHARD HEATER.

APPLIOATION I'ILED NOV. 8, 1912.

1,079,645. 1 Patented N0v.'25;19l3.

ATTORNEY- UNITED STATES PATENT omucn JAMES L. HAMILTON, 0F GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR TO THE HAMILTON ORCHARD HEATER COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

ORCHARD-HEATER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Novi 25, 1913.

Application filed November 8, 1912. Serial No. 730,293.

T 0 all whom 2 1 mm concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES L. HAMILTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Junction, in the county of Mesa and State of Colorado, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Orchard-Heaters, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in orchard heaters adapted to burn efficiently and with but little smoke the heavy fuel oils derived from petroleum.

This invention is an improvement on the orchard heater formerly invented by me which is shown in my application filed in the United States Patent Office January 31, 1912, Serial No. 674,531, for which Patent No. 1,045,547 was issued November 26, 1912, and the object of my present improvement is to provide means whereby the combustion of the oil in the reservoir may be confined to a limited area of its surface,

thereby making .it easier to light the fire and making the combustion much more steady and more readily controlled than when the flame is allowed to spread more or less over the entire surface of the fuel.

A further object is to provide a simple and efficient draft regulating damper for controlling the rate of combustion and generation of gas from the confined area of the fuel.

The improved heater whereby I attain these objects is shown in theaccompanying sheet of drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a sectional vie of the heater ready for lighting. Fig. 2 s an enlarged perspective view of the improved draft regulating damper partially opened. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the combustion compartment removed from the. heater.

Similar reference" characters refer to similar parts in each of the views.

The fuel reservoir or receptacle 4 is flared or tapering as shown, and 15 provided with a sloping annular hood 5 which fits closely on the top of the reservoir. A tapering central draft tube or chimney 6 is place within the fuel reservoir 4 with its larger end resting on the bottom thereof with its smaller end fitting closely within a central opening 7 in the hood 5. The draft tube or chimney 6 is provided with numerous perforations-8 to admit therein gases generated from the surface combustion of the fuel.

For the purpose of admitting sufficient air to the surface of the fuelso as to maintain a slow combustion suflicient to generate combustible gases, air inlet apertures 9 are provided. These draft holes 9 are made in a raised triangular plate 10, which is riveted to the outer surface of the sloping annular hood 5. This construction makes a rain tight joint and effectually prevents rain which falls on the surface of the hood from leaking into the fuel reservoir. A triangu:

lar damper 11 is pivoted at the point 12 to the raised plate 10. When the damper is in its closed position covering all 0f the three draft holes 9 the raised portion 17 will. be directly over the right hand hole and will admit just suflicient air for lighting the fuel in the reservoir and maintain the combustion at a minimum. When more air is required the damper is moved to the position shown in Fig. 2, thereby fully opening one of the holes. A further movement to the right opens the second and third hole successivelyl A projecting lug 13 is provided for convenience in manipulating the damper.

It is very desirable to provide a fuel reservoir of large capacity in orchard heaters of this character, and it has been found .by experience that it is difficult to start, maintain and control a steady and regular surface combustion of the oil therein under all conditions over the entire area of the surface of the fuel. I therefore provide means for confining the combustion of the oil to a limited area of its surface. This consists of a sheet metal compartment 14 preferably constructed as shown in perspective in Fig. 3, and is provided with a vertical slot 16. This may be placed within the reservoir 4 directly below the draft openings. The slot 16 allows the gases generated by the partial combustion within the compartment 14 to escape freely therefrom, whereupon they enter the central draft tube or chimney .6 through the perforations 8, and thence through the top opening into the air which supplies the required oxygen for complete combustion. The rate of combustion within the orchard in order to be ready for immediate use in the event of frost, a cover 15 is provided. It is to be removed when the fire is lighted within the reservoir, and the fire may be quickly extinguished by replacing the cover on the chimney.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. An orchard heater comprising a liquid fuel reservoir, a sloping annular hood fitted closely to the top of the fuel. reservoir, air inletopenings in the annular hood for admitting aininto the fuel reservoir, and a combustion compartment provided with an opening in the side thereof located within the fuel reservoir in direct communication with said airinlet openings.

2. An orchard heater comprising a liquid fuel reservoir, a sloping annular hood fitted closely to the top of the fuel reservoir, a centrally located perforated draft chimney, air inlet openings in the annular hood for admitting air into the fuel reservoir, and a combustion compartment provided with an opening in the side thereof located within thefuel reservoir in direct communication with said air inlet openings.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES L. HAMILTON.

Witnesses! ADDA M. KEISER, H. L. MCCLINTOCK. 

